Threshing-machine



J. BUTTS.

Rice Thrashing Mill.

Patented May 23, 1848.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEHIEL BUTTS, OF CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA.

THRESI-IING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 5,600, dated May-23, 1848.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEHIEL BUTTS, of Charleston, in the district of Charleston and State of South Carolina, have invented'a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Threshing Rice, called a Rice-Threshing Mill, which is described as follows, reference being had to the annexed drawings of the same, making part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine. tion of ditto.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

This machine in its general features, resembles the ordinary threshing machine; that is to say it consists of an oblong frame A, in which as contained, a concave bed B, and cover C, for ing a cylindrical case, and inclosing a cylinc er D, armed with bars of teeth E on its periphery, for beating the rice, and forcing it against ribs formed in the concavesaidcylinder, receiving a rotary motion from a band, passing around a drum F on its shaft, and also communicating motion to a pair of fluted feeding rollers G G arranged in the front part of the frame, by means of a band, extending from a pulley on said shaft, to a corresponding one on the shaft of one of the rollers. Although I do not design, to make a particular claim to the construction of these parts, yet, I have deemed it necessary to a full understanding of my improvements, to give a general description of their arrangement, and mode of operation.

The frame A, is made of cast iron secured together by bolts and nuts, and provided with suitable boxes, for supporting the shaft .K of the cylinder D. The concave B, consists of a series of cast iron segment plates- B inserted in grooves formed on the insides of the sides of the frame, being curved, to correspond with the segment of the circle upon which they are arranged, and having a number of ribs H, formed on their inner surfaces, forming an abrupt edge, H, to meet the rice in its progres through the concave, and also a small concave surface h, extending from the upper part of the edge of each rib H, to the lower points of the succeeding rib, for the purpose of turning the rice partly around, before it reaches the next abrupt edge. Another series of ribs I, of a similar form to the above, except Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sec- The cylinder D, is secured on the horizontal shaft K, and consists of two skeleton heads D, having dove-tailed grooves formed I on their peripheries, in which are inserted cast iron bars E, made to correspond with said grooves on their edges, and having two rows of cast steel teeth E projecting from their outer surfaces, for beating the rice, and forcing it through the concave-a movable cap C, is placed over the cylinder, to

'prevent the rice, &c., from being thrown over the top of the machineThe cylinder is lined with sheet iron to prevent the foot stalk and rice from passing through unthreshed.

Two fluted rollers G, G are arranged, one above the other, at the front part of the machine, parallel to the shaft of the cylinder, between which, the sheaves of rice, are introduced to said cylinder from the inclined table 0. The lower one of these rollers Gr, turns in boxes, attached to the frame, and the upper one in sliding boxes G, arranged between vertical slides L, se-

cured to the framesaid sliding boxes projecting beyond the sides of the slides, a suflicient distance to receive weighted rods M, which are attached to them and serve with their own gravity, to press the upper roller against the rice, as it passes between it, and the lower one, and'loosen the same from the straw or stem. An inclined feeding table represented by dotted lines in Fig. 2 at, 0, is secured immediately in front of these rollers, upon which the sheaves of rice, are placed before being introduced to the machine.

The superiority of this machine over those in common use isFirst it being made entirely of iron, and steel, has a greater strength and durability and neatness. Second it requires only one half the speed of those constructed in the ordinary manner and consequently runs with less friction. Third, requires less persons in attending, from the great advantage gained, from its power and strength, and in threshing without untying the sheaves, which was never before attempted with successto my knowledge. Fourth, it is very compact, and threshes. the grain perfectly clear of foot stalk. Fifth, from its construction it can be easily attached to other machines. Sixth it threshes nearly treble the quantity of the common kindof machines.

The operation of the machine is as foling forced in its progress through said concave; in contact with the abrupt edges of the ribs H and I, on the bed, and sides, and turned round at each successive edge, by means of the concave surfaces h. of said ribs, in order'to present all parts of the rice to equal action;and after being thus subis discharged at the back part of the machine, thoroughly threshed and ready for the next operation.

The cylinder D of the heaters E, re-

sembles an iron steam boat propelling wheel, having instead of paddles, rows of' steel teeth E inserted into bars of iron, wedged into dovetailed grooves formed on the peripheries of the heads of the cylinder, by means of wedges P, one edge only of each bar, may be made dovetailed and the opposite edge, against which the wedges are driven made straight, or at right angles to the face-the grooves in the heads for their reception being made of corresponding shape.

What I claim as my invention and which I desire to secure by Letters Patentis- The arrangement of the short ribs I, on the inner sides of the end of the case, as combined with the alternateribs H, of the concave B as set forth,'and represented at i Fig. 2 which shows the junction of the ribs I with the ribs H standing at right angles to each otherthe first named ribs being on lines radiating from the centers of the heads and the latter on lines running parallel with the shaft. jected to the action of the heaters, and ribs,

JEHIEL BUTTS.

Witnesses:

W. RILEY, JAMES TUPPER. 

